The present application is based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2001-155713, which is incorporated herein by reference.
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a power feeding connector apparatus. The power feeding connector apparatus herein means a combination of a power feeding-side connector and a power receiving-side connector, in which in the charging, for example, of an electric vehicle (EV), the power feeding-side connector and the power receiving-side connector are electrically connected together through the connection of terminals upon fitting of the two connectors relative to each other, and more particularly to a power feeding connector apparatus as well as the power feeding-side connector itself, in which the power feeding-side connector can be disconnected from the power receiving-side connector with one action without the need for changing the operator""s grip on the connector.
2. Related Art
FIGS. 14 to 19 show one conventional power feeding connector apparatus 40 which comprises a power feeding-side connector 41, connected to a power supply apparatus, and a power receiving-side connector 42 which is provided at the power-receiving side, and can fit on the power feeding-side connector 41.
The power feeding-side connector 41 and the power receiving-side connector 42 are electrically connected together through the connection of a terminal 43 upon fitting of the power feeding-side connector 41 into the power receiving-side connector 42.
The power feeding-side connector 41 comprises a housing 45, mounted on a casing 44 for movement relative thereto, an operating lever 46, swingably mounted on the casing 44, a cancellation button 47, and lock arms 48.
The terminal 43 is incorporated in the housing 45. The operating lever 46 is connected to the housing 45, and this operating lever 46, when swung, causes the housing 45 to move relative to the casing 44.
The cancellation button 47 is engaged at its distal end 47a with a retaining portion 46a of the operating lever 46, thereby retaining the operating lever 46 in a connected position. Lock claws 48a of the lock arms 48 are engaged with the power receiving-side connector 42, thereby positioning the casing 44 relative to the power receiving-side connector 42.
In this power feeding connector apparatus 40, when the power feeding-side connector 41 is to be disconnected from the power receiving-side connector 42, the cancellation button 47 is pressed (a first pressing operation) in the condition shown in FIGS. 14 and 15 (in which the terminal 43 is connected), so that the retaining of the operating lever 46 by the cancellation button 47 is canceled.
As a result, the operating lever 46 is swung clockwise (FIG. 16) from a position, indicated in a dots-and-dash line (FIG. 16), to a position indicated in a solid line under the influence of a spring 49. In accordance with the swing of the operating lever 46, the housing 45 is moved relative to the casing 44, and also the connection of the terminal 43 is canceled, so that a provisionally-retained condition is achieved as shown in FIGS. 16 and 17.
In the provisionally-retained condition, when the cancellation button 47 is again pressed (a second pressing operation), the distal end 47a of the cancellation button 47 pushes the right end portion (FIG. 19) of the lock arm 48 upwardly, thereby swinging the lock arm 48 toward the inside of the casing 44.
As a result, the retaining of the casing 44 on the power receiving-side connector 42 by the lock claw 48a of the lock arm 48 is canceled, so that there is achieved a canceled condition (shown in FIGS. 18 and 19) in which the power feeding-side connector 41 can be disconnected from the power receiving-side connector 42.
However, the above conventional power feeding connector apparatus 40 has a problem that when disconnecting the power feeding-side connector 41 from the power receiving-side connector 42, there is needed the two-action disconnecting operation in which the cancellation button 47 are operated or pressed twice.
And besides, when pressing the cancellation button 47, the operator must change his grip on the connector during the disconnecting operation, and therefore the good operability can not be obtained.
It is an object of this invention to provide a power feeding connector apparatus as well as a power feeding-side connector itself in which the power feeding-side connector can be disconnected from a power receiving-side connector with one action without the need for changing the operator""s grip on the connector, thereby achieving the excellent operability.
(1) The above object has been achieved by a power feeding-side connector adapted for fitting relative to a power receiving-side connector, wherein the power feeding-side connector and the power receiving-side connector are electrically connected together through a connection of terminals upon a fitting of the power feeding-side and power receiving-side connectors relative to each other, the power feeding-side connector comprising:
a casing;
a housing for accommodating the terminals, mounted in the casing so as to be movable at a predetermined displacement in a connector-fitting direction and a connector-disconnecting direction;
an operating lever swingably supported on the casing in a plane lying in the connector-fitting direction, the operating lever displacing the housing relative to the casing in the connector-fitting direction or the connector-disconnecting direction by a swing thereof; and
a lock arm swingably supported on the casing in a plane lying in the connector-fitting direction, for engaging the power receiving-side connector upon the fitting of the power feeding-side connector relative to the power receiving-side connector, thereby positioning the casing relative to the power receiving-side connector;
wherein the operating lever can be swung and positioned among three of a connected position where the terminals are connected respectively to the terminals in the power receiving-side connector, a provisionally-retained position where the connection of the terminals to the respective terminals in the power receiving-side connector is canceled, and a canceled position where the connection of the terminals to the respective terminals in the power receiving-side connector is canceled, and the retaining of the casing on the power receiving-side connector by the lock arm is canceled.
In the power feeding-side connector of this construction, when disconnecting the power feeding-side connector from the power receiving-side connector, the operating lever is swung from the connected position to the canceled position through the provisionally-retained position.
Thus, in the connected position of the operating lever of the power feeding-side connector, the terminals are connected respectively to the terminals in the power receiving-side connector, and in the provisionally-retained position of the operating lever, the connection of the terminals to the respective terminals in the power receiving-side connector is canceled.
In the canceled position of the operating lever of the power feeding-side connector, the connection of the terminals to the respective terminals in the power receiving-side connector is canceled, and the retaining of the casing on the power receiving-side connector by the lock arm is canceled.
(2) A lever stopper may be movably mounted on the operating lever of the power feeding-side connector; and
the lever stopper is selectively engagable with a predetermined portion of the casing, thereby positioning the operating lever relative to the casing, and the lever stopper can be displaced out of engagement with the casing by a gripping of the lever stopper in an operation of the operatinglever, thereby selectively canceling a positioning of the operating lever relative to the casing.
In the power feeding-side connector of this construction, when disconnecting the power feeding-side connector from the power receiving-side connector, the operating lever is swung from the connected position to the canceled position through the provisionally-retained position.
At this time, the lever stopper is engaged with the predetermined portion of the casing, thereby positioning the operating lever relative to the casing, or the lever stopper is displaced out of engagement with the casing by the gripping of the lever stopper in the operation of the lever, thereby canceling the positioning of the operating lever relative to the casing.
(3) Further, the power feeding-side connector may be provided with a first engagement portion formed on the casing, and a second engagement portion formed on the housing, wherein the lever stopper is urged by a stopper spring and is engagable with the first engagement portion and the second engagement portion, thereby holding the operating lever in the connected position and the provisionally-retained position relative to the casing, respectively.
(4) In the invention, a joint bar may interconnects the operating lever and the housing, and the operating lever, displaces the housing relative to the casing through the joint bar.
(5) The invention also provides a power feeding connector apparatus comprising a power feeding-side connector according to the above and a power receiving connector engagable with the power feeding-side connector.